Royal Traditional Council of Ife Insists Oba Sijuwade is Still Alive

A few days ago, it was reported that Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, passed away at age 85 after a brief illness.

However, Royal Traditional Council of Ife on Thursday said the Oba is still alive, Punch reports.

The council made the claim while visiting Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola at the government house.

One of the members of the council reportedly stated:

“We were all shocked when we heard the rumour of baba’s death. If at all such an incident had occurred, the Royal Traditional Council of Ife would be the first to know and equally break the news to the entire public.

Sixteen of us are his chiefs and when he was travelling out, he didn’t look like he was going to die and should such a thing have happened to him, we would have been informed even before anyone would hear about it. We pray that Ooni Sijuade will live long in good health.”

According to the report, “Aregbesola thanked the chiefs for holding forth the monarch’s domain while he was away and he prayed God to give the monarch long life in good health.”